How International Businesses Can Improve Workplace Safety

Organizations based throughout the world encounter a variety of risks on a daily basis, and their employees need the right level of protection, training and awareness to handle these occupational hazards. While this may sound like a significant challenge, there are a number of effective strategies that can improve workplace safety.

Vigilance can protect workers abroad
Every international organization should perform a comprehensive international risk assessment to identify potential problem areas. Problems vary depending on country, so each time a staff member deploys to a different location their employer must look at all the angles.

Nicholas Robertson, head of employment at Mayer Brown International, explained to Financial Times that there might even be legal requirements to monitor each situation abroad. Most companies must provide reasonable levels of safety for their workers, especially expatriates. In some cases, the best course of action may even be to remove the person from the situation altogether.

Susan Doris-Obando, senior associate at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, told Financial Times that all workers abroad have to know the risks in their current countries. This means in-depth training ahead of time, such as how to handle kidnap situations and what to do when crossing dangerous borders.

Manage risks in the workplace
While most risk assessments evaluate the risks of operating with employees overseas, they should also consider their domestic work environment. With that in mind, employers must ensure that their staff members have safe working conditions when on property owned or operated by them.